Theory - exam

Question 1

Name the secondary word-formation processes

Answer 1

• shortening
• blending
• back-formation
• reduplication
• lexical ellipsis

Question 2

Name the marginal word-formation processes

Answer 2

• sound interchange
• eponymy
• shift of stress
• sound symbolism
• word manufacture

Question 3

What does it mean when we say that a word- formation process is productive?

Answer 3

Many lexemes can be formed by particular word-formation process.

Question 4

What is affixation?

Answer 4

Affixation is a productive word-formation process in which new lexemes are produced by adding derivational affixes to at least one root lexeme

Question 5

Give some noun-forming suffixes.

Answer 5

-tion, -ity, -er, -ness, -ism, -ment, -ant, -ship, -age, -ery.

Question 6

Give some verb-forming suffixes.

Answer 6

-en, -ify, -ate, - ise

Question 7

Give some adverb-forming suffixes.

Answer 7

-y, -like, -en

Question 8

Give some negative prefixes.

Answer 8

un-, dis-, in-, im-, il-, ir-, non-, de-, mis-

Question 9

Give some diminutive suffixes.

Answer 9

-y/-ie, -ette, -let, -ock, -ling, -o

Question 10

What is compounding?

Answer 10

Compounding is a process of creating new words by combining at least two root morphemes.

Question 11

According to their structure, compounds can be divided into:

Answer 11

• simple
• complex

Question 12

According to the relationship between their components, compounds can be divided into:

Answer 12

• coordinative
• subordinative

Question 13

According to the word-formation processes involved, compounds can be divided into:

Answer 13

• mono-formative
• poly-formative

Question 14

Explain why some compounds are called literal. Give some examples.

Answer 14

• The meaning of the morphemes is compositional.
• Example: classroom, sunlight, deaf-mute

Question 15

Explain why some compounds are called metaphorical. Give some examples.

Answer 15

They cannot be interpreted literally.
• Example: chatterbox, pickpocket, nightcap

Question 16

Give one example of a compound adjective, compound verb, and a compound adverb.

Answer 16

• adjective: brand-new
• verb: downsize
• adverb: outside

Question 17

What is conversion?

Answer 17

Conversion is a very productive word-formation process in which a word is converted into a different word-class without adding any affix.

Question 18

What is indirect conversion? Give an example.

Answer 18

• Where a noun is not converted to a verb, but it is pre-modified by verbs such as have, get, take, give, and make, and the phrase has a verbal function.
• Example: take a shower = to shower

Question 19

The process of shortening can be divided into these types:

Answer 19

• clipping
• acronymy
• initialisms
• graphical abbreviation

Question 20

Clipping can be defined as …

Answer 20

Clipping involves cutting off one or more letter or syllables of a word.

Question 21

Depending on which part of the word is clipped, we distinguish these types of clipping:

Answer 21

• initial
• medial
• final

Question 22

Give two examples of initial clipping and final clipping.

Answer 22

• Initial: aeroplane –> plane, omnibus –> bus
• Final: gymnasium –> gym, brother –> bro

Question 23

What is the difference between transparent and non-transparent clipping?

Answer 23

• Transparent: the clipped lexeme directly corresponds to a part of the original word
• Non-transparent: the clipped lexeme doesn’t directly correspond to a part of the original word

Question 24

What is the difference between acronyms and initialisms?

Answer 24

Acronyms are read as regular words. Initialisms are always spelled out, we do not read them as words.

Question 25

What is special about graphical abbreviation?

Answer 25

This type of shortening is restricted to a written language.

Question 26

What is blending? Give two examples.

Answer 26

• Blending is a process in which two words merge into one.
• Example: br(eakfast) + (l)unch –> brunch, sm(oke) + (f)og –> smog

Question 27

Define the term back-formation. Give two examples.

Answer 27

• A formation of a new lexeme by means of a deletion of a suffix-like element from apparently complex form.
• Example: editor –> to edit, lazy –> to laze

Question 28

Give examples of full and partial reduplicatives.

Answer 28

• Full: bye-bye, chop-chop
• Partial: tip-top, chit-chat

Question 29

Define lexical ellipsis.

Answer 29

An omission of one word of a multi-word phrase/collocation.

Question 30

What is sound interchange? Give two examples.

Answer 30

• This process typically involves a change of word class by the mutation of one or more phonemes within the word/root.
• Example: blood –> bleed, breath –> breathe